Deciding LIfe
by Love From A Muggle
Summary: Decisions seemed to be easy for everyone but Ron. Why was being a grown up and making your own decisions so hard? No one warned him how hard they would be. Written for Hogwarts Online II July Monthly Challenge.


**Written for Hogwarts Online II July Monthly Challenge. **

**Author's note: I AM BACK! I have been away for almost 4 months because I've been stuck on writers block. This is the first story I have written in almost four months. Thank you for sticking with me. Please check out the poll on my profile and help me decide what to update next.**

The first summer without Fred was like Christmas without snow. It was anything but fun. In fact, it was all tears as I stared at the breakfast table at the Burrow most mornings. This morning however, I laid in bed, too lazy to get up. No, not lazy. I didn't want to get up.

Harry and Hermione were staying with us for the summer holidays. Although, I overheard Hermione talking to Ginny last night saying that she may leave soon to find her parents. Alone. Meaning, without me. She wants to be like that, fine. She wants to not talk about our relationship, or what happened , fine. But truthfully, I need this summer to figure out who I am and what I need to do.

Hermione's already determined to go back to Hogwarts if they reopen. Mum thinks they will. Dad isn't so sure. All the Wizard families volunteered after the war to fix up Hogwarts and help get things back to how they were. Funny thing though. Things won't be the same. Students who died won't come back to complete lessons. Students like Colin Creevy to name one, and many others.

Even Diagon Alley had started to rebuild itself. I chose to stay at home in case George needed to talk. He didn't go back to Diagon Alley at first. Three weeks after Fred's funeral, George went back to the shop. He kept saying he needed to get away. I just stayed at home. I didn't want to go back there. I didn't want to go see the place that made things awkward for Hermione and I. Infact, I didn't really do anything except sit around and mope all summer. But mum had me moving around a week after the final battle.

Multiple times over the summer she would say to me, "George needs us, he needs support from his family."

This morning was different. I can hear mum calling my name, trying to get me up. And when I still didn't get my butt out of bed, she threw a pillow at my head.

'"Ronald, WAKE UP. Your brother needs you now more than anything. Show some respect.'" And walked out of the room leaving a pillow next to my head.

The pillow must have smacked some sense into me because the next thing I knew I was pulling on my trousers, tying my shoes and opening the door right as Hermione raised her fist to knock.

"Were you planning on hitting me?" I asked, joking trying to lighten up the mood.

"I need to talk to you," Hermione said avoiding eye contact. I knew what that meant.

"We can talk here," I said as Ginny passed by coming down from her room she shared with Hermione.

"Alone."

Great. This was it. She was going to end things with me.

"I'm leaving tomorrow to go find my parents. Harry says they don't need my help at school and that I have better things to do."

Harry took on rebuilding Hogwarts, along with the help of Professor McGonagall, right after Fred's funeral. He only came back to the Burrow on weekends when he was too exhausted to go further without food or sleep. They fed him at the school, but he said he missed mum's cooking.

"Ron?" Hermione waved her hand in front of my face.

"What?"

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"I am getting breakfast," I said.

"No, Ron, with your life. This summer. You're not helping at the school, and not at the shop like the rest of the family-"

"Hermione, must we go back to that again?" I asked interrupting her.

"It is the middle of July now and you still haven't gone back to Hogwarts or to the shop to help your family. Harry decided to help Hogwarts right off the bat. I just decided to go find my parents,"

"Yes, but you did that after Harry told you to leave Hogwarts."

"Well, what are YOU going to do?"

"Give you another kiss?" It was the first time we mentioned the kiss since it happened.

"I am not giving you any kisses until you choose what to do with your life. Or at least this summer, Ronald."

Hermione glared at me and walked out of the room.

"I did choose. You just don't know it yet," I stated but she couldn't hear me. I sighed, walked out of my room and went looking for my mum.

"Mum," I said.

She turned around. Tears were already running down her cheeks again for what looked like the second time today.

"I'm going to help George with the shop once he reopens it. I'm going to help clean up. You and dad are needed elsewhere, and Ginny needs to finish her schooling and be there with Harry rebuilding Hogwarts. That leaves me. I'm the only one who can help George."

"Oh Ron!"

And that was that. Mum threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

"I knew you would make the right decision. Thank you. Sit down and eat breakfast. You can leave after a full meal." She hugged me once more before I took my seat.

I knew I made the right choice. I really was the only person for the job, even if I didn't want to do it.

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